Here’s what he had to say…
Can we start with team news? Who is available? Who's not? Particularly the likes of Solanke - any chance? Maddison - how many minutes you might expect to get out of him?
Roberto: “Solanke is available for tomorrow. We have to decide if he starts in the first 11 or not, and Maddison is available. It's always tough on the side before the game, how many minutes he can play. Of course, he's a different player, he's a top player for us, but we have to analyse the physical condition, the Italian weather, and the Italian weather, and a lot of things, but both are available.”
How much of this game on Sunday is going to be about handling the pressure?
Roberto: “In football, there are different games. There are these type of games, like a final. For us, for West Ham, it will be two finals, and we have to adapt and we have to change the habits. I think it's a great thing to have the chance to play as a player. If I think as a player, for me, these types of games are good to play, to prepare, to suffer the pressure. The pressure is good. It depends if you are able to think, to stay strong with you, first of all, to stay positive. I think you can become, as I said after the Chelsea game, you can become better as a coach, as a player, as a man, because you can become better going through the tough moments. If everything is good in life, you can improve, but not in this way.”
Some people are surprised, some people are very angry that your captain won't be at the game. I wonder what you made of that decision and whether you had a conversation with him and said, ‘listen, you are the captain of this club, we need everything on Sunday’...
Roberto: “No, he spoke with the medical staff, together they decided to go to Argentina to complete the rehab with the Argentina medical staff. We spoke last week. With me, he showed always that he wanted to stay with us. The injury is already an injury and we have to accept. I'm not stupid. I want to be clear. I'm not stupid. If I understand there is any player or some player who thinks for himself before the club, I can't be the same Roberto, but with Cuti Romero, I can't say nothing because with me, in my time, he has been correct at the beginning until now.”
Can you understand why people are angry until now because Sunday is the biggest game this club has had and your captain is not going to be there - are you disappointed?
Roberto: “I'll answer you. The decision was with the medical staff, and I think he can't change nothing if Romero tomorrow is on the stadium or not. Finally, I have no time to lose energy, to lose thinking other things. We have to be focused just on the game, and I think we have the players good enough to achieve our target.”
Some reports this week have said that Djed Spence has a broken jaw following that challenge with Liam Delap on Tuesday. How is he doing?
Roberto: “He’s available. I think it was another situation bad for us because I think it was a red card for Delap but I have to repeat, I have no time and energy to lose thinking about referees or other things, red card, yellow card and we move on thinking just on the game.”
He's received really good news today that he will be part of the England squad for the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel spoke a lot about how Djed has suffered with the situation at Spurs with all of the different managers coming in this season but I just wondered from your point of view, why haven't we seen more of Djed in your team?
Roberto: “He's a great guy. I love Djed as a guy. After the game, I spoke with his mum outside of the stadium, his family and I said the same. He has a big heart, he's a big player and big guy and all of us we are happy he can go to play in the World Cup.”
Sunday is a final for Spurs, it's a big game for West Ham as well. I just wondered what will your approach be for this game?
Roberto: “We can't change our style, our mentality. We have to play with order, with the right behaviour with the ball, but we can't change ourselves because if we change ourselves or what we have done in my time, because I can't speak before I came here. Normally, we have to be focused on the counter attack, because we are very good in this part of football. We have to be focused on their qualities because they have very good players, especially the winger and the striker, but I think also we have the qualities and the players good enough to play a good game and to stay up.”
I just wonder if you think it shows commitment from Romero if it was his decision to stay in Argentina or to come back and give moral support to his teammates because he is the leader of this football club?
Roberto: “Not all leaders are the same. Ben Davies spoke with me and he asked to stay today to work with us and tomorrow we sleep in the hotel and he wants to stay with the team, the team-mates, but Romero is preparing for the World Cup, his injury and for me, nothing changed and then we go to think after tomorrow, we go to think everything is for the best future of Tottenham.”
On Sunday, how much do you need to ignore what's going on at West Ham or do you want to know what's going on at West Ham?
Roberto: “No, I want to stay focused on ourselves, on our performance, on what we can do on the pitch because it's in your hands.”
Is this your biggest game as a manager?
Roberto: “Listen, I've lived the last 50 days just for Tottenham and for my players. I burn nervous and for me nothing changes if we play a great game or not. I usually live football giving all myself. I'm looking forward to playing tomorrow the game. For me it's tough to arrive, but not the game, because if you are good with yourself, if you think you have done everything you can, you have to stay calm and stay positive. You can win, you can lose, but I usually think what I can give more for my players. What I have to give in these last two days to help my players to show all their qualities. What I can do to help them to play following their qualities, but not for the game, because I am 47 years old and I am used to playing this type of games.”
Will Dejan Kulusevski be there on Sunday to support the team?
Roberto: “I don't know, I think he can play so we have to stay focused on the players available to play.”
Vicario has had another week of training – do you see yourself sticking with Antonin Kinsky or is he now in the frame?
Roberto: “You want to know too much!”
You talk about Kulusevski coming back, you spoke about Ben Davies making the effort to stay with the team in the hotel. Can you understand why the fans are so angry that the captain is not going to be there and he could be at another match?
Roberto: “100% I understand.”
Do you think Cristian played his last game for Tottenham?
Roberto: “I don't know. I think Cristian is a top player and with me he was a top guy. When I say top guy, it's because I'm sure of what I'm saying. For the future, I don't know. Tomorrow is a crucial game for us, for our future, for our fans, for our club. We have to stay together and I don't want to answer about Romero and Kulusevski, because they can't play, they don't play, they are not here and my focus is on Djed Spence, Kolo Muani, Richarlison. We have to play with blood, with character, with the spirit because it's a final. They played a great final last season and they won the trophy. Maybe there was a bonus. After tomorrow there is not a trophy, there is not a bonus, there is something more important than trophy and there is the future of the club, there is the history of the club, there is the pride of the players, there is the pride of the family of the players, there is the dignity of every one of us and for that I can't lose energy thinking the next season. I repeat, I am not stupid. I have clear everything we have to do in the future, but to arrive in the future we have to go through another two tough, tough days together, because we play not in Everton’s stadium, we play with our fans, 60,000, great stadium. I played two games as a Tottenham coach and there were two amazing atmospheres. I am looking forward to sitting on my bench to sit two seconds but to stay in our stadium Sunday at four o'clock.”
Just from your perspective last year, are you amazed that the club is in this position now that last year they won a European trophy?
Roberto: “No, I think no one could imagine this situation, but we are inside and we have to fight without excuses, without nothing and to play.”
How important has Micky van de Ven been over these last few weeks and how much have you built a relationship with him during a really difficult time?
Roberto: “Great. I think he is the best centre-back in the Premier League. We talk a lot of times because I think he suffered maybe too much for the situation of Tottenham this season. He is a sensitive guy. He is a good guy and in my time, I think he played amazing. Just for reference, he is the best centre-back, left centre, in the Premier League.”
Who are your options on the right? You’ve stuck with Kolo Muani, who else could you use there?
Roberto: “Right winger can play Kolo Muani, can play Bergvall can play Souza, like in the Liverpool game, can play Djed Spence, can play Mathys Tel in the right side, or Pape Sarr in the left side and Mathys Tel in the right side. Kolo Muani can play striker, can play winger. We have to find a solution because we have not too many players and when you are not as a number, too many, you have to find a different solution, for sure.”